Not all cameras have the same features or abilities. Sometimes issues have to be taken care of by the holder of the camera and sometimes they can be managed by setting different preferences in the camera. Two of the critical issues in using camcorders involve arranging proper light and sound levels. Too much can be as big a problem as too little. Another critical issue involves cut-aways, which provide the ability to visually follow and better understand what is under discussion.
There is not a zoom on the audio of a camera. That is, the zoom feature only applies to the video, and will not bring up the sound values when someone is further away. This is a problem that must be taken care of by whomever is holding the camera. The danger is that in trying to get a wide shot that includes more scene around the speaker, the camera ends up too far away. Instead of giving some precise measurement about the distance between the presenter and the camera, it is simply better to do an audio check with a set of headphones or for the shooter (camera holder) to have the headphones on while recording the video. Some voices carry over distance and noise better than others. If the audio of the speaker is not coming in loud and clear, then it will not improve just by playing back the video. The camera does not have any special built-in features to improve poor audio. If the audio is not satisfactory, a basic solution is to move the camera closer to the presenter. Though that raises anxiety levels for some speakers, the presenter will just have to get over the fact that the camera is closer.
Background noise can be a major problem. For example, shooting next to or near a highway is almost impossible without special microphones. The only effective alternative in using the built-in camera microphone is to re-shoot and re-shoot the scene until all the needed words are spoken without a car or truck going by. A better solution is to move the location of the shoot to a much less busy or quieter place. On one rare occasion I was able to get the city police to block off the street for ten minutes so that it was possible to get good audio when working with some professional actors. Your mileage may vary in getting such cooperation.
So, remember to take headphones along and know where to plug them in. There is a small trap door in the front of the Sony TRV22 that opens to reveal the place for the headphone jack. Do not accidentally plug the headphones into the A/V jack which is used to transfer video from the camera to another device such as a TV or VHS videotape machine.
Shooting inside with a camcorder requires more light than one might suspect. A standard light bulb or fluorescent light that works well for the human eye is generally not enough for the eye of a video recorder. The play back screen can also mislead the viewer as it will try to make the image brighter than it really is so that it can be seen at all. Use the eye piece for reliable testing on playback. Better to do two different outside scenes that have good natural light than to have poor light inside. Just because it looks OK on the camera does not mean it will look OK when the video editor gets through with it. Often an OK scene but not good lighting will come out too bright or too dark when editing. This is seldom a problem outside. It is often a problem with inside video shoots.
If shooting inside, do it during a time when outside light from a window can help bring up light values or find extra lights to bring into the room for an inside scene.
There are settings on the Sony TRV22 cameras that can be used to adjust the camera's light levels and tone down light that is too bright or brighten a scene that is too dark. Pressing the FN or function button on the touch screen leads to these options.
On page 62 of the manual, the Automatic Exposure or AE, can be set for different lighting needs. The portrait mode is useful for many scenes typically being used in this assignment. But if other items must be seen clearly, such as items that must be held, shown or pointed out in some way in the scene, then it is better not to use it. Otherwise the objects may look too fuzzy. For beginners, the only real way to understand its impact is to do a test shoot and play it back on a TV screen.
On page 64 of the manual, directions for "adjusting the exposure manually" are covered. Once set, the camera will remember that setting until the Auto button gives control back to the computer chips inside the camera. If you set it manually, be sure and set it back to Auto when finished.
To cut away in video and film refers to flipping from the speaker to some close-up of the object or scene that the speaker is talking about. This can be handled in two ways with live-cut-aways or editing room cutaways. It is often essential to making full use of the power of video to explain and entertain.
Live Cut-aways
In a live cut-away with a single camera, while the speaker is talking the camera will slowly pan or zoom to what the speaker is talking about and then pan or zoom back to the speakers face. This requires some practice to do well.
If multiple cameras are hooked to a switching device, the cut-away is handled in a control room. This kind of multi-camera switch is common for example in shooting video of professional sports.
Editing room Cut-aways
In this case, one literally has to cut the video (phyically or electronically) and insert new video without disturbing the audio track. That is, the audio track keeps on going but the visual display changes. Where does this video footage come from?
This is done with either more than one camera during the video shooting where one camera is on the presenter and the other camera does a series of close-ups from different angles and distances or this is done after the speaker finishes with a single camera. That is, if the speaker is talking about the great collection of turtles that will be studied, then when the speaker is finished, the single camera comes in tighter on the object or objects in question. How many seconds or minutes of cut-aways should be captured? It all depends on the scene. If the speaker is talking directly about frogs for 60 seconds, the audience only needs to see the speaker for the first and last 8-10 seconds. The other 40 seconds are probably better used to show cutaways. To keep the necessary visual sense of motion in the scene, either many different views of the turtle are needed or the turtle needs to be handled with some movement such as turning it over or the turtle needs to be crawling.
It is best if the first video project does not require cut-aways. They are time consuming to shoot well with live-cutaway technique and time consuming to edit into place if the latter editing room approach is used. Most beginners with video cameras shy away from them. However, both the concept and the technique are important standard features of video editing. Even if this technique is not being used, it should be understood and watched for in the video work of others. Computer technology makes it much easier for beginners to learn how to do editing room cut-aways. This does not make the process very fast, just much easier.
Summary
Apply these concepts as needed to best communicate what has been written in the script.
Return | Page author: Bob Houghton